This invention relates to a combination room air and home hot water heater employing solar energy both for fluid heating and to power a fan motor for forced draft.
Various elements employed in the invention have previously been known. For example, the transparent vented roof panel has been used as a skylight and is described in a leaflet entitled "Low Silhouette Posi Lock Self Flashing SPACELITE" published by Southwestern Plastics, Inc. of Houston, Tex. Applicant's patented lock is used to secure the panel to the roof. The solar powered electric motor driven fans are described in a brochure entitled "Solar-Prop Electricity From The Sun" published by P & S Engineered Plastics, Inc. of Knoxville, Tenn. Ceiling registers are known in conventional central hot air heating systems. Lava rock is a well known light aggregate.
A variety of solar water heaters are known as described in my contemporaneous United States patent application entitled "Solar Energy Collector".
In prior home hot air heating systems, circulation of air over the heat exchanger to draw heat from the energy source (burning gas, oil, coal, or electricity) has been accomplished either by natural gravity circulation or by means of a fan consuming electric power supplied by the utility company. Air circulation has therefore been either inefficient or costly.